Permanent Teeth Chart – Tracking the Eruption of Your Child’s Teeth

For all children, a big part of growing up is going through the experience of losing their teeth and being rewarded for it by the tooth fairy.

Right from the first year of life, till the end of teenage years, teeth erupt in the mouth. Their permanent counterpart replaces the deciduous teeth. It is important to keep your child aware of the different types of teeth- incisors, canines, premolars, and molars.

The first permanent tooth to erupt is usually the first molar, at 6 to 7 years of age. The other teeth, leaving the third molar, erupt latest by 13 years of age.

Keeping track of the eruption time through charts or games is a good way for parents and children to anticipate teething and eruption. These charts are available online and can be kept in your child’s room as a scheduled activity.

The molars are the teeth with which you do most of your biting and chewing. They have distinct cusps with a broad occlusal surface for chewing your food.

Each quadrant has the first and second permanent molars. The third molars, commonly called the wisdom teeth, erupt much later in life and they are commonly impacted, partially erupted or sometimes even missing. (2)

Eruption Sequence

The timing of the eruption of the primary and permanent teeth is different for every individual. It is influenced by factors like the overall growth pattern of the childhood, genetic factors, systemic diseases, calcium metabolism, etc. (3)

Here are some simple tables (as per the ADA) that will tell you about the usual age of eruption of each tooth, and the exfoliation of the primary teeth. (4)

Always keep in mind that the range is variable for each child and depends on the chronologic and physiologic age. (5)

Other methods to estimate eruption time

The dentist can take a radiograph of the whole mouth, called an orthopantomogram, and tell when a particular tooth is likely to erupt, based on the crown and root status.

When a tooth is about t erupt, your child may show teething symptoms like inflammation of the gums, oral discomfort, irritation, etc.

Wrapping Up

Teeth charts are easy tools to encourage your child to be interested in his oral health. It is always good to start early, and these charts are helpful for parents to know and prepare for the child’s teething process.

Knowing the sequence of eruption of teeth will help you assess your little one’s growth, oral health and you will know if you need to see a dentist for any missing teeth or delayed eruption.